Interpolymers of α-olefin/vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer or hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomer or a combination thereof are well known as described by Stevens et al. in EP 0 416 815 A2. Also well known are polyamide polymers and polymers and copolymers of α-olefins.
It is often desirable to prepare blends of polymers so as to obtain a polymeric blend which provides properties or characteristics not available from either of the polymers alone. Such is true of blends of polyamides and polymers and copolymers of (α-olefins. However, such polymers are incompatible and a suitable compatibilizer must be employed before the blends can be utilized.
It has now been found that sulfonated interpolymers of α-olefin/vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomers or hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinylidene monomers or a combination thereof and salts thereof are suitable compatibilizers for blends of polyamides and polymers and copolymers of α-olefins. The interpolymers containing the sulfonated salts provide improved mechanical properties at elevated temperatures as compared to the interpolymers prior to being sulfonated and subsequently converted to the salt.